Hör mein Bitten/ Hear my Prayer (Orgelauszug)

Description

Formerly one of Mendelssohn's most popular sacred compositions, especially during the Victorian period, the anthem Hör mein Bitten has been overlooked in more recent times in favor of his larger works. The anthem was written in 1844 for solo soprano, choir and obbligato organ and newly orchestrated by Mendelssohn in early 1847. He conceived his anthem in four linked parts. The numerous alternations between the solo voice an chorus in the score bring to mind the traditional English verse anthem, though the exchanges here seem more tied to the text rather than to a preconceived formal scheme.